They remind us how cutthroat the NFL world is every year. Coaches and players become unemployed on a routine basis. A couple rebounds with new teams while others struggle to find work. The Steelers are not afraid to invest in some folks searching for their next opportunity. They just showed this as recently as last offseason.
Pittsburgh signed Russell Wilson, traded for Justin Fields, and brought Arthur Smith on board as their offensive coordinator. It wasn't enough.
Change is inevitable in the NFL, but the Steelers are the exception. They rarely fire coaches when they are still under contract and struggle to expand their coaching tree under Mike Tomlin. They need more bodies at the team facility attempting to improve this club. Their lack of investment in their staff after their recent playoff blunder shows how unserious they are.
Mike McCarthy entered this past season with little hope of retaining his job. Although he and Tomlin hold similar accolades, McCarthy rarely gets much respect in his profession. The Dallas Cowboys decided to part ways with their top coach. He has been selective with accepting jobs in the past that are nothing less than a head coach position.
Mike McCarthy would be a perfect addition to Steelers coaching staff
As the head coaching carousel ends, McCarthy might be out of a job next year. Not giving McCarthy another shot elsewhere seems insane. He has won plenty of games and helped turn around the Cowboys even though they failed in the postseason. He remains one of the more reliable coaches in the league and someone who should find a nice spot to rebound.
You might not know, but McCarthy is from the Pittsburgh area. That alone could be an exciting opportunity for the former head coach. The Steelers are a top franchise in the NFL, which could also get him some recognition next offseason. He wouldn't take over Smith's duties as the offensive coordinator, but he could lend some insight on improvements.
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Even though McCarthy never coached for the Steelers, he did some work with the University of Pittsburgh. He has become one of the best offensive-minded coaches in the NFL for a while. Fans will want to forget, but he led the Green Bay Packers to victory over the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.
A lot of people from Pittsburgh rarely move away from the city. You'd have to expect McCarthy to have plenty of family left in the area. Maybe moving back to his hometown would be enticing. Bringing him onto the staff as a senior offensive consultant could be the best move. He can help Smith with the offense, especially in the passing game. It could change how the Steelers attack opposing defenses.